news archives

July 31, 2002 - During a recent 'Austin Powers in Goldmember' press junket, Mini-Me actor Verne Troyer was asked about Britney Spears, who has a cameo in the flick. Verne said of working with Spears, "I'd known Britney before I actually worked with her in this movie, so she's very beautiful, definitely." Asked how he'd known her before, Troyer responded, "I got invited to the *NSYNC concert and we just bumped into each other several times. (someone in the press laughs a little) It's nothing sexual, though!" Read more.

July 31, 2002 -  Randy Lewis of the Los Angeles Times profiled Avril Lavigne, Vanessa Carlton, and Michelle Branch, who profiled the young women who write most of their own song, and how it is showing teens have outgrown teen pop. "What happened in the teen pop wave is that a small group of producers and writers wrote the majority of the hits for *NSYNC, Backstreet Boys, [Britney Spears] and 98 Degrees, and there was a sameness to it," A&M Records President Ron Fair says. "With radio, once they feel a certain sound is working with listeners, they'll really pound it. It's a vicious circle. That sound becomes saturated, then one day, it is no more. Along come Vanessa Carlton and Michelle Branch, who are doing something different, something that's coming from more of a rock place." Read more.

July 30, 2002 - Reuters reports Britney Spears issued a statement in conjunction with concert organizers OCESA indicating that Sunday night's concert in Mexico City won't be rescheduled. "The Mexican fans are some of the best in the world. However, for the security of my company and the audience, as well as for the show's quality, I had to suspend my performance," Spears said. Fans will be able to get refunds on their tickets on Thursday. Read more.

July 30, 2002 - britfan writes "From Britellectual on efgforum.com. I think he has a good point. The Britney Double Standard. I would just like to comment on the double standard that Britney seems to subject in the media. Specifically as related to tour-date cancellations. When Britney’s Lubbock was cancelled due to the arena’s main transformer blowing up (even though it supposedly had enough capacity) the media leaped at reporting the story. In particular they emphasized the boos and broken-hearts. This problem made the international newswires, and was reported on radio and TV and not just on the entertainment shows (featuring on both CNN and Fox News)." Read more.

July 30, 2002 - Restaurant critic Sarah Maserati of the National Review paid a visit to Britney Spears' new restaurant Nyla, and declared, "Everything sounded good on the menu but disappointed on arrival." Maserati added, "Caught between the conflicting worlds of pop-star kitsch and Manhattan swank, Nyla ultimately fails. Nyla will stay in business only if the tourist traffic keeps it afloat (and if the food inspectors don't shut it down for poisoning diners). As Miss Spears sings in her Rolling Stones cover, when it comes to eating at Nyla, 'I can't get no satisfaction.'" Read more.

July 30, 2002 - WireImage.com has photos of Britney Spears during a press conference in Mexico City this weekend at the Four Seasons Hotel. Check out the pictures here.

July 30, 2002 - New York Post reports Britney Spears, Elton John, Nelly, B2K and Lil' Bow Wow will be among those who serve as presenters at the MTV Video Music Awards, August 29th at Radio City Music Hall. As previously announced, Bruce Springsteen, Pink and Eminem will perform.

July 29, 2002 - WireImage.com has photos of Britney Spears little sister Jamie Lynn Spears at the 'Spy Kids 2: The Island Of Lost Dreams' premiere at Grauman's Chinese Theatre in Hollywood, California on Sunday. Check them out here.

July 29, 2002 - World of Britney webmaster Ruben raised a few eyebrows Sunday when he posted the following regarding Britney Spears, her family members, and Wade Robson: "In regards to what I said about Britney and Wade having sex in a limo, and Britney's dad and older brother being good on the drink, that's just stuff you know when you get close to a lot of people that work around her and that know how this business really is like." As for those questioning his sources, Ruben adds, "Just cause I know a couple of Britney dancers doesn't mean anything, my sources are so much more legit than that, and if anybody out there feels like proving me wrong, then be my guest." Read more.

July 29, 2002 - Reforma reports Britney Spears cancelled her second concert at the Forum in Mexico City last night as the open air event was cut short by heavy rains. Britney was able to perform five songs including 'Oops I did it again', 'Yoúre crazy', 'Boys' before departing. Britney told the crowd before leaving, "I love you soo much and Í'm sorry Mexico." For many fans at the stadium, her being sorry wasn't enough, as angry fans yelled "Fraud!" and "I hate Britney!" while other fans cried. No word yet whether the show will be rescheduled or if fans will get a refund. Read more.

July 29, 2002 - WorldofBritney.com has more details on Britney Spears' press conference in Mexico City earlier this week. Amongst the highlights:
She thought Shakira was from Mexico.
She admitted she uses playback to cover up her exhausting dance routines.
Britney didn't answer most of the questions, instead saying "I'm not going to answer that," or "None of your business."
In the end she walked out of the interview and the 50-60 reporters inside booed her. Read more.

July 29, 2002 - Eduardo Martinez Alessi Grove of EsMas.com reviewed Britney Spears' show at the Forum in Mexico City on Saturday night. Check out a review, the set list, and Mexican celebrities in attendance here.

July 29, 2002 - If you check out Britney Spears' new restaurant Nyla in New York, make sure to pick up a restaurant business card -- or a whole stack of them. Check out ebay auctions for the cards, some going for $5, here.

July 28, 2002 - Britney Spears told reporters at her press conference in Mexico City on Friday that she had visited the pyramids of Teotihuacán on her stay in Mexico. Britney later said following her tour, she'd take six months off taking dance and boxing classes and do "what Britney really wants." Britney says in the future she wants to produce albums for other artists and make more films. Read more.

July 28, 2002 - Britney Spears spoke with El Universal ahead of her two concerts in Mexico City this weekend. Britney admits to being nervous ahead of playing concerts before 90,000 people. "This is the first occasion in my life in which I appear in front of so many people, I am quite nervous," Britney admitted. "But I am happy about it because it is my last show." Read more.

July 28, 2002 - In an interview where LL Cool J eventually hung up on Las Vegas Weekly writer Aarn Archer, the gutsy writer asked the married LL if he'd "nail Britney Spears if you had the chance." LL responded, "No, I don't need to nail Britney. That's kind of perverted, man. She can keep that, I got a wife I can nail all the time. Are you a pervert?" Read more.

July 28, 2002 - Reforma reports that Britney Spears expressed an interest to remain in Mexico to meet with Pope John Paul when he makes his visit. "Hopefully it had the opportunity to speak with the Pope because I believe that he is extraordinary, surprising, and means much for our world," Britney said. As for the terror attacks on America, Britney commented, "I do not believe that it has been only one call of attention for us, but for everybody because it made see the chaos us that is generated with hatred and wars." Read more.

July 27, 2002 - While Britney Spears refused to talk about her personal life at a press conference in Mexico City Friday, she did say that in a future she would like to support causes such as Greenpeace and programs battle to the use and sale of drugs. Read more.

July 27, 2002 - Reforma has 13 photos chronicling Britney Spears visit to shops in Mexico earlier this week. Apparently one of her security guards damaged a photographers car, and they exchanged insults. Also amongst the photos are the carved piece of furniture that Spears purchased for 3,999 pesos and a pair of colonial lamps that cost her 3,400 pesos. Check them out here.

July 27, 2002 - Ramon Ponce of El Universal chatted with Lucia Zerecero, who won the contest that looked for the Mexican Britney. On Saturday, she'll get the opportunity to meet and introduce Spears at her concert in the Forum Sun, not to mention a prize of 25,000 pesos. The 17-year-old commented, "I imagined In the beginning that yes I had possibilities of winning, but after the second semifinal of Saturday I had many doubts. In fact, I came because I know that I look like her, but when they said to me that I had to dance no longer it wanted. But I am here. What I do not know is what I am going to him to say to Britney when I sees her." Read more.

July 27, 2002 - El Universal reports that a familiar theme for foreign fans of Britney Spears hoping to get the singer's autograph. Alejandra Cecilia Rogel waited outside her hotel in vain trying to get Britney's autograph. Rogel had saved for two years to visit Nyla, her restaurant in New York, but "now that she is in Mexico, it's impossible thing to be near her." Meanwhile, all of Britney's promotional activities in the country have only taken place in her hotel, as she won't be visiting any Mexican television stations. Read more.

July 27, 2002 - El Universal has a rundown of Britney Spears' visit to a Mexican crafts shop and also spoke with the director of production for Britney's shows over the weekend. Lourdes Skipsey commented, "The same show that presented/displayed in the United States, with the same illumination, choreography and visuals will be seen that has not been seen before in Mexico. We hoped Friday to test the audio and illumination." Hopefully he's not talking about the show in Lubbock. Read more.

July 27, 2002 - Britney Spears says she was only reacting to intrusive paparazzi when she flipped off the cameras upon arriving to Mexico City earlier this week. Britney said in a press conference earlier today, "I'm human too. I get mad like everyone else." She claimed photographers and camera crews were driving recklessly around her vehicle, nearly causing a wreck as she left the airport. Read more.

July 27, 2002 - Yahoo! has photos of Britney Spears posing during a press conference earlier today in Mexico City. Spears will have two concerts over the weekend, finishing her summer tour in Mexico. Check out the pictures here.

July 27, 2002 - Natural's Marc Terenzi is milking all the publicity he can over a report he's dating Britney Spears. Marc told Extra TV yesterday, "I think it’s interesting. I don’t know where they came from or where they started." While Britney's rep denied it and said it was a shameless publicity move, Terenzi said cryptically, "You never know, anything is possible in the music industry. People can figure it out on their own." The gossip comes conveniently ahead of the band's new album out September 2nd. Of course if a recent blind item in the New York Post is him and led to be believed, his bid for publicity might have backfired.

July 26, 2002 - The New York Post profiled Britney Spears' new restaurant Nyla, which the singer hasn't visited since the opening bash June 27th, but plenty of her fans have. The tables and the bar have been packed, with reservations on weekends needed a month in advance. "We are getting a lot of tourists," says Britney's partner Bobby Ochs. "Which I welcome." Celebs have been sparse, though Monica Lewinsky, who dined on fried chicken, and Tommy Chong of Cheech and Chong fame have been recent customers. Read more.

July 26, 2002 - Britney Spears fan site BritneySpears.org has a Real video clip of the Britney Spears middle finger incident and the events leading up to it. Check it out here.

July 26, 2002 - Wobpictures.com has 13 photos of Britney Spears taken earlier this morning in Mexico Britney went shopping at a traditional Mexican market, where they sell artesian hand made goods. Check out the pictures here.

July 26, 2002 - The Sun reports Britney Spears' career is in crisis following a decline in average merchandise sales at her gigs and a decline in album sales. A former dancer for Spears told the Sun, "It’s not that she is rude. She tries to be fairly pleasant to most people. It’s just that she’s boring. Her fans are starting to see through that and they are moving on to other artists. The front-row kids are starting to see that she mimes quite a bit at her shows." Read more.

July 26, 2002 - WorldofBritney.com reports amongst the headlines newspapers in Mexico for the Britney Spears incident where she gave photographers the middle finger upon arrival were:
Britney Salutes México in a Special Way
Britney Shows Off Her Manners to her Mexican Fans
Ooops...Which Finger Was That Again?

July 26, 2002 - Star magazine's big story this week is Britney Spears being exposed by a handsome guy at Mynt nightclub in Miami July 13th. The singer was approached by the guy at her table with his penis sticking out. She loved it, didn't complain, just pointed and laughed. Britney and her gal pals may have had their nerves eased with the bottle of Jim Beam they were indulging in.

July 26, 2002 - PRNewswire.com has a video clip of Britney Spears talking about her partnership on the Samsung Superstar Karaoke Tour. In addition, Britney talks about what she'll be doing when her tour wraps up and advice to aspiring singers. The last 3 minutes of the clip includes several auditions by hopeful karaoke contestants. Watch the video clip here.

July 26, 2002 - Rumors of Natural star Marc Terenzi, 21, hooking up with Britney Spears apparently are the result of a mistranslation with German reporters. Scott Bennett, vice-president of Transcontinental, Natural's record company, says, "Unfortunately for him, he's not dating her." Read more.

July 26, 2002 - Stuttering John mentioned that Britney Spears has a cameo in the new 'Austin Powers in Goldmember' movie and she looks really hot. Howard Stern ended up talking about Britney's restaurant Nyla. He's heard that the place is just mediocre, but a lot of hot chicks hang out there.

July 25, 2002 - Anonymous writes "Birtney Spears did it again. The city of Mexico was anxiously awaiting the arrival of the pop princess to their town and only to find that Ms. Spears wasn't so happy to be amongst the Mexican people. The news broke out in the newscast of Joaquin Lopez Doriga. The footage showed when Britney was arriving in Mexico. While she is in her truck with her police escort, Britney is asked to say hello to her loyal Mexican fans that were anxious to see their pop idol in their town for the first time, but Ms. Spears did the total opposite. After laughing a bit with her personal assistant Felicia Coulotta, she pretended like she was going to wave at the camera but flicked it off instead. The Mexican press is very upset on this issue, and there is even talk about people having boycotts outside of the Estadio Azteca where her concert is to be held. One of the most influencial reporters of Mexico Patricia Chapoy (the Mexican Barbara Walters) was encouraging people to not attend the concert!"

July 25, 2002 - Samsung issued a press release on Wednesday with more details on the 'Samsung Superstar Karaoke Tour,' a 24-city karaoke promotion, giving potential pop stars the chance to perform karaoke for the chance of a lifetime. Chosen by Britney Spears' management company, the national grand prizewinner will receive an all-expense paid trip for two to Los Angeles to record a demo tape with a producer in a professional studio. The winner also will appear in Britney Spears' upcoming video. The tour hits Best Buy stores in 24 cities across the country from July 22 to August 30, contest participants and passers-by will be given a $20 coupon toward any Samsung wireless handset and will be eligible to win Britney Spears memorabilia, including t-shirts and autographed pictures. Read more and check out the contest's official site at samsungsuperstar.com.

July 25, 2002 - CNN anchor Arthel Neville talked to Rolling Stone Contributing Editor Toure on Wednesday to get the inside scoop on Britney Spears and whether or not she's on the decline. "I'm not willing to say Britney's over, not yet," Toure said. "She didn't get the sympathy vote out of her breakup with Justin, but the entire record business is slumping a little bit. She still has got this amazing showmanship. She is still as cute as she was before. Like last night, right, we're sitting there thinking, how can we say Britney is over? That 'Slave For You' piece came on from MTV last year with the snake." Read more.

July 25, 2002 - Britney Spears landed the number 94 spot on The Mirror's top 100 most irritating people. The site sneered, "She'd bored us for so long claiming to be a virgin before announcing to the world that sex wasn't as good as chocolate - well, she did have a film to promote. But does anyone really care?" Reader Sarah Foster said: "She is so annoying - with her do-good preaching, and religious upbringing, she goes against everything she says. She thinks everyone fancies her, with her silly songs that get on your nerves. With her bleached hair and spotty forehead she looks like she belongs in a gym class rather than the local pub." Read more.

July 25, 2002 - Steve Lackmeyer of The Oklahoman reports that the Britney Spears tour stop at Oklahoma City's Ford Center was the third-highest-grossing performance in her 34-city national tour, bringing in $954,000, topped only by Spears' performances in Las Vegas and Tacoma, Washington. "This bodes really well for us and for Oklahoma City," Gary Desjardins, the arena's general manager, said. "As long as we continue to sell tickets, we'll get shows. That's the name of the game." Read more.

July 25, 2002 - A poster on the GroupieCentral.com forum has shared her rather negative experience in trying to get an autograph from Britney Spears during her time in Amsterdam last year (likely sometime around her October 25th show at Amsterdam Arena). Yvi writes, "Anyway, it was in Holland, and it was only me and 2 friends in front of the hotel. I had always thought she was a little spoiled kid, but I wanted to see it with my own eyes. And yes I did! Me and my friends had been waiting for her like 3 hours, but when she came out, she looked up to us, looked down again, and walked straight on! My friend, called her, but she didn't even look. She walked straight on without saying a word. My friend was very disappointed, as she's his idol. I on the other hand wasn't disappointed, but pissed off! So I called her and said 'Yo Britney, we've been waiting for you since a long time today, all we want is a picture and an autograph!' So she told us she had no time, and then WENT SHOPPING! I was like, 'WTF, NO TIME?' Then they followed her, and later the person claims Spears went into one of Amsterdam's coffee shops, which refers to a place where the Dutch gather to buy and smoke marijuana and consume alcohol. Read more.

July 25, 2002 - WorldOfBritney.com reports Britney Spears arrived in Mexico on Tuesday for her concerts this weekend in Mexico City. When she ran into reporters, Britney flipped off the cameras after being asked in English by a reporter to say "Hello" to her Mexican fans. It was reported that she then looked at Felicia, her personal assistant and they both started giggling. Read more.

July 24, 2002 - Despite reports in News of the World that had Natural's Marc Terenzi bragging to reporters that he's the new man in Britney Spears' life, her publicist had something different to say about it. The spokeswoman for Spears tells the New YorK Daily News that there's no romance and that Terenzi is making a shameless play for publicity.

July 24, 2002 - Chet Healey interviewed Avril Lavigne and questioned her on whether she's been asked about virginity yet. Avril snapped saying, "I'm not like Britney. I'm not like gonna walk around in little hot pants and a bra. I won't take pictures like that or use my body to sell records." When pressed on the virgin issue, she said, "I don't think it's fair that people even ask questions like that. Really, it's none of their damn business." Read more.

July 24, 2002 - WorldOfBritney.com reports Britney Spears arrived in Mexico on Tuesday for her concerts this weekend in Mexico City. When she ran into reporters, Britney flipped off the cameras after being asked in English by a reporter to say "Hello" to her Mexican fans. It was reported that she then looked at Felicia, her personal assistant and they both started giggling. Read more.

July 24, 2002 - Access Hollywood caught up with Britney Spears on Tuesday's show as she's wrapping up her 'Dream Within A Dream' tour. What's Britney plan on doing when the tour wraps up? "For the next few months I'm probably going to record and just -- I've got a place in Destin [Florida], I'll probably go out and lay out with all my girlfriends." At the same time, Britney is enjoying some R&R, she's also launching the Samsung Superstar Karaoke Tour, giving potential pop stars the chance of a lifetime. The tour will hit 24 U.S. Cities, and the grand prize winner will get to record a demo tape and appear in Britney's next video. "I used to sing karaoke when I was little," she explained. "So its very sweet to watch that. I love it. It's cool."

July 24, 2002 - LFI and WireImage.com have photos of Britney Spears' sister Jamie Lynn at the premiere of 'Austin Powers in Goldmember' on Monday at Universal Amphitheatre in Universal City, California. With her big sister, who cameos in the film wrapping up her tour, Jamie Lynn took her sister's place on the red carpet.

July 23, 2002 - Today's blind item in the Mirror asks, "Which jilted female pop star can relax over fears that her ex has found a new flame? The boyband singer in question has had numerous offers from girls desperate to bed him but so far hasn't taken any of them up. He even spent an entire evening last week trying to shake off a big-breasted fan who threw herself at him."

July 23, 2002 - The New York Post spoke with Britney Spears' rep on the controversy surrounding her new song 'My Love Was Always There' that seems to be duped from Enrique Iglesias' 'Escape' cut titled 'Maybe'. It appears that the producer may be to blame though. "I have not heard Britney's song, so I have no coment," said Lisa Kateler. "The songs have the same feel, but they are not the same song. Both Britney and Enrique worked with the same producer, Steve Morales." Read more.

July 23, 2002 - Britney Spears was nominated for Best Female Video (Slave 4 U), Best Dance Video (Slave 4 U) and Best Choreography In A Video (Slave 4 U) for this year's MTV Video Music Awards. Read all the nominations here.

July 22, 2002 - The Sun reports reports source at Enrique Iglesias’ label Interscope is weighing in on the controversy about Britney Spears apparently lifting his track 'Maybe' with her new song 'My Love Was Always There', which she has been performing during her 'Dream Within A Dream' tour. "Enrique heard the track and recognised it straight away. The lyrics are almost exactly the same and the piano melody is identical. It’s a joke. He’s not really angry, just puzzled as to how someone so big could go about copying him so blatantly." Read more.

July 22, 2002 - Jennifer Christman of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reviewed the Britney Spears show at Alltel Arena on Saturday night where the talk of the night was Britney's change in hair color. Christman writes, "The overexposed Spears actually appeared mysterious, exotic even, as she did the very same shimmying and shaking she always does." Christman added, "While there was disagreement on Brit’s ’do, there could be no debate on the quality of her show, which was categorically ambitious and impeccably performed." Read more.

July 22, 2002 - Britney Spears fan site Hawaiibritney.com has several photos from Saturday night's 'Dream Within A Dream' tour stop in Little Rock, Arkansas where Spears was sporting black hair. During the soundcheck though, her hair was its normal color, so it looks like she indeed was wearing a wig. Check out the photos here.

July 22, 2002 - US Weekly quotes Cher during a concert on her extravagant farewell tour saying, "I feel like I have a responsiblity to give these young girls something to aspire to. Britney, J.Lo, follow this if you can, you bitches!"

July 21, 2002 - Fans are reporting that at Britney Spears' concert in Little Rock Saturday night, the singer was sporting black hair. Tinkerbell13 writes, "I don't know if it was a wig or not. I hope it was! But it stayed on really well the whole time, through head shaking, water, and the fan." Read more.

July 21, 2002 - News of the World reports Natural's Marc Terenzi has admitted to dating Britney Spears for the past two months, while Britney's ex Justin Timberlake has been having secret flings with Christina Aguilera. Terenzi said, "I'm dating Britney. We've known each other for about five years but I've only been seeing her for about two months. She's always great company and we bonded together as friends." Read more.

July 21, 2002 - Britney Spears fan Lee Doane voiced off after the Washington Post ran a critical review of Britney's show at the MCI Center last week. Doane writes, "As Britney's No.1 fan, I feel that I must stand up for her. Britney Spears has never done anything to anyone. She does her thing and she does it well. Your article covered the same issues every other paper covers (that she's played out, old -- blah blah blah)." Read more.

July 21, 2002 - Rick 'Weasel' Fulton of the Scottish Daily Record is weighing in on the recent reported collapse of Britney Spears, as well as Michael Jackson's charge of racism against Sony Music chief Tommy Mottola. On Spears, Fulton suggested the collapse was staged to bring publicity and sympathy, "She's not had a No.1 in Britain for years. So she needs us back on her side. Madonna did it by having babies. But Britney is supposedly a virgin without a boyfriend. If she can't get positive publicity through a boyfriend or decent tunes, she has to hit our sympathy bone." Read more.

July 21, 2002 - Michael Flannagan of the Knoxville News-Sentinel profiled the firm that is in charge of "cleaning up" the suggestive bumps and grinds out of Britney Spears' 'Dream Within A Dream' tour for the show to be aired at some 2,600 Wal-Mart stores nationwide on July 27th. "I had to put on my conservative hat and put myself in the eyes of the shopper," Farwick said. Read more.

July 21, 2002 - toto writes "Backstage security guard, Steve Manasco stated that he witnessed the pop star Britney Spears collapse back stage at her concert. Apparently Britney was suffering an anxiety attack. Steve stated that Britney couldn't breathe and was hyperventalating and began to feel dizzy and collapsed. Read more.

July 20, 2002 - US Weekly reports that while Justin Timberlake juggles new romances with Janet Jackson and dancer Jenna Dewan, his longtime former girlfriend Britney Spears "is completely miserable" according to a source close to her. "She's very upset that her parents are divorcing and that she's not with anyone." Read more.

July 20, 2002 - Lynne Spears posted a new update today following the completion of Britney Spears' Dream Within A Dream tour. Lynne writes, "It's definitely time for a hiatus. Brit already has her 'down time' plans in motion. She has a new Manhattan apartment to decorate and she's in the process of writing her new music. There are also several more scripts she's reading. Brit still hasn't visited the Florida condominium. I've also asked for her help with caring for Jamie Lynn in my absence while I am caring for Britney's Aunt Sandra." Britney's aunt is suffering from ovarian cancer. Read more.

July 20, 2002 - Nolan Clay of The Oklahoman reviewed Britney Spears' concert Friday night at the Ford Center which was one of the last stops on her 'Dream within a Dream Tour'. Clay said, "The concert was about dancing as much as singing and her moves were eye-catching and only occasionally too racy." Clay added the Spears "showed the same high energy that her fans saw on her HBO special at the tour’s kickoff in Las Vegas." Read more. Check out photos from the show here.

July 19, 2002 - Tim Greening of The Shreveport Times reviewed Britney Spears' concert at CenturyTel Center in Bossier City Thursday night saying it "at times was more like a big-budget Broadway musical than a traditional pop concert." Britney told the homestate crowd, "It feels so good to be home, Louisiana. You're a great audience, the best we've had so far." Read more.

July 19, 2002 - Julie Miller of The Shreveport Times was on hand at the Britney Spears concert Thursday night at the CenturyTel Center. Miller focused on the young female fans' choice of attire for the event, which had many dressing in the same style as their idol Britney. "Spotted among the audience was a wide variety of styles," Miller said. "Britney Spears merchandise T-shirts, homemade tees and sparkling tops were abundant, while exotic fashions like fishnet sleeves, colorful hair extensions and sequined pants stood out." Read more.

July 19, 2002 - A recent survey of men and women between 18-24 conducted by AXE Effect had men asked who they'd most want to sniff. Britney Spears got the most votes (29%), followed by Natalie Portman (16%) and Jennifer Lopez (12%). Read more.

July 19, 2002 - Britney Spears has been nominated for two Emmy Awards which were announced earlier today. Britney is nominated for her Saturday Night Live appearance in the 'Outstanding Technical Direction, Camerawork, Video For A Series' category and for the HBO special 'Britney Spears Live From Las Vegas' in the 'Outstanding Technical Direction, Camerawork, Video For A Miniseries, Movie Or A Special' category. The Emmy Awards takes place at the Shrine Auditorium on September 14th. More info here.

July 19, 2002 - Gossip guru Flo Anthony reports that porn queen Jenna Jameson went to see Britney Spears backstage at her concert in Arizona. Jenna had also been at Britney's Nyla opening in New York last month. Listen to more on Britney's porno star minglings here.

July 19, 2002 - We earlier reported that Britney Spears was going to be calling into KISS 106.1 FM on Friday, but someone who sounded nothing like Britney called in apparently Thursday morning where the DJ's questioned if it was really Spears. Then, someone claiming to be Lynne Spears called in. The whole thing sounded fake, but you can download the 27 minute audio from the broadcast here. One of the DJ's even mentions popdirt.com.

July 18, 2002 - The Nation reports two Thais, Jongrak Iabsakul, 44, and Jamriang Iabsakul, 39, who won a Pepsi-sponsored trip to see a Britney Spears concert in the United States, are demanding compensation from Pepsi Cola's local distributor because they were denied U.S. visas. Jongrak said that three other first prize winners had also had their visa applications rejected. Read more.

July 18, 2002 - KISS 106.1 DJ Kidd Kraddick is going to be interviewing Britney Spears on Friday morning. Britney will talk about her current tour and hopefully she'll open up about her ended romance with *NSYNC star Justin Timberlake. You can check out a stream of the station here and if you miss that several of Kraddick's interviews are archived on his own website here.

July 18, 2002 - Entertainment Tonight has more on their interview with Britney Spears' little sister Jamie Lynn on the set of Nickelodeon's 'All That'. Jamie Lynn admitted to being a little scared her first day on the show's set, "I was nervous because I was scared I wasn't going to be funny, and I thought I wasn't going to be able to act in front of [the cast] ... then I got here and everyone was really nice." Check out more and a short video clip on how she reacted to Britney offering her advice here.

July 17, 2002 - Entertainment Tonight caught up with Britney Spears' sister Jamie Lynn on the set of 'All That', where she's virtually following in the footsteps of her older sis who was on the 'Mickey Mouse Club'. Jamie admits her sister tried to give her advice "but I have this gift that I can tune people out, so I tuned her out," she revealed. As for Jamie's singing, "I haven't sang in front of a lot of people yet. Maybe later on I'll start singing."

July 17, 2002 - Fans at Enrique's official forum are in an uproar about the "new song" that Britney has been singing at her concerts and claiming that she wrote. The song entitled 'My Love Was Always There is almost a carbon copy of Enrique's song 'Maybe' from his album 'Escape'. There are obviously similarities in the lyrics. Read more.

July 17, 2002 -  James Maguire of about.com weighed in on the two sides of Britney Spears, and how her mixed message has led to putting her atop the pop world. "At 20, she necessarily has to sing songs like 'Not A Girl, Not Yet A Woman'. For her, that song is not so much a complaint as a marketing stance. Not a girl, not yet a woman -- but having the audience of both. It's kind of a two-sided persona, yes, but there's no arguing with success." Read more.

July 16, 2002 - Billy Masters of Filth2go.com has his new column out today with thoughts on 'American Idol', Robbie Williams being conveniently photographed in a nude romp with Rachel Hunter, and Britney Spears reportedly pairing with Backstreet Boys star Nick Carter on his debut solo album, and how he'd rather see Nick and *NSYNC star Justin Timberlake paired instead. Read more.

July 16, 2002 - Moby talked with Reuters following the opening of his new teashop in New York called 'Teany.' Moby distinguished his place from Britney's Nyla saying, "Obviously there is a big difference between Britney Spears' restaurant Nyla and my restaurant Teany. I mean Teany is really small. It is not that fancy. It's just a nice simple place in the neighbourhood. And the other big difference is that I don't know how much time Britney really spends in her restaurant. I am here everyday." Another difference is price, as Moby's vegetarian menu is much cheaper than what Britney offers.

July 16, 2002 - TeenHollywood.com (WENN) reports Britney Spears' 24-year-old brother Bryan admits to having a close relationship with his sister. "Britney is my best friend," he said. "Mum, dad and I are so proud of her and everything that she's achieved." Read more.

July 15, 2002 - Sean Piccoli of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel chatted with fans at the Britney Spears concert Saturday night at the National Car Rental Center in Sunrise, including Pat McKenna, 17, and Josh Fratello, 16, two guys from West Palm Beach who were in the minority gender in the audience. "She's more into that pop — and I get that — and she's going to have to do something to grow up," said Fratello. "My dad says she won’t be around in 10 years. But I could see it. She’ll be around. I definitely look forward to seeing her again." Read more.

July 15, 2002 - Jim Abbott of the Orlando Sentinel was on hand at the Britney Spears 'Dream Within a Dream Tour' Sunday at the TD Waterhouse Centre calling it "another triumph of style over substance." Abbott added, "Although pyrotechnics tend to be a distraction at many shows, the special effects were a welcome relief from the one-dimensional material." Read more.

July 15, 2002 - Cheryl Lu-Lien Tan of the Baltimore Sun spoke with Gilda Carle, a psychology professor, on Britney Spears' new song she's been showcasing in concert following her breakup with *NSYNC star Justin Timberlake. Britney introduced the track on Wednesday at a concert in Washington, DC, saying, "Honestly, I've been a little bit overwhelmed. Sometimes my life feels bigger than me. ... I've been writing a lot and here's something I wrote just the other day. ... I gave you my heart ... Baby boy, and now you are gone," she belted out. "I'm out the door. I can't take no more. " Read more.

July 14, 2002 - Francesca Chapman of the Philadelphia Daily News chatted with 27-year-old Britney Spears drag queen Angel Benton who says the singer is the model for the next generation of drag queens. "In her real life, Britney Spears is this feminine, demure creature who's very down to earth, a good Southern girl," he said. "But when she gets on stage, she turns into this fierce, masculine, ball-busting performer. Gay men deal with that balancing act every day." Read more.

July 14, 2002 - US Weekly reports that with no big celebrities in attendance at the opening of her new restaurant Nyla, Britney Spears ditched the place after only two hours. A spy said, "She didn't even mingle with anyone." Britney headed off to Suite 16 with 15 pals, and like her time at Nyla, she "had two tables roped off." Unlike Nyla though, Spears and pals "drank three bottels of Cristal," even though Britney doesn't turn the legal drinking age of 21 until December.

July 14, 2002 - Ted Kessler of the Guardian spoke with Shakira, who insists she's different from Britney Spears. "I just want everybody to understand me," she said. "Just like all my Latin people understand me little by little with each album. They don't compare me to Britney, you know. They'd be like, 'What? Britney?' Nothing wrong with Britney, she's a great artist and very beautiful, but I was pretty surprised to be compared to her in America and Britain. But I think that's because there isn't a full understanding of my musical proposal here. That's just a matter of time, though." Read more.

July 14, 2002 - Dave McKenna of the Washington Post reviewed the Britney Spears concert at the MCI Center on Wednesday night saying, "Spears, who for all her musical shortcomings remains utterly adorable, smiled an apparently sincere smile and hit all her marks for the umpteenth time on the 'Dream Within a Dream' tour." As for the crowd, he said, "Although her midriff still inspires as much water-cooler talk as the latest sports scandal, Spears's concert audience appears to be growing younger by the week." Read more.

July 14, 2002 - Dana Bisbee of the Boston Herald reports there is an explosion in the popularity of belly dancing thanks to the success of belly-baring Britney Spears and Shakira, amongst other pop stars. "MTV is responsible," said Melinda Heywood, who teaches belly dance at Daughters of Rhea in Newton. "There's a lot more interest in the dance, and it's because of Shakira and Britney. College students come and say, 'Can you make me dance like that?' Later, they get beyond that and want to learn the art form." Read more.

July 14, 2002 - Maurice Timothy Reidy of the Hartford Courant caught up with Britney wannabe Melanie Fontana, a 15-year-old has played birthday parties, baseball games, and, most recently, the Apollo Theater in Harlem, where she won an amateur singing contest for belting out Etta James' 'At Last.' Fontana says, "I want a record deal. I want to do something with my singing because I think I have it in me." Read more.

July 13, 2002 - The New York Daily News reports Britney Spears' new restaurant Nyla has launched a karaoke night which will happen every Monday.

July 13, 2002 - Geoff Mayfield, director of sales charts at the record trade magazine Billboard tells Sean Piccoli of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel that while other teen pop groups have slid off in popularity, Britney Spears has held up pretty well. "I think [Spears] has done a great job of keeping her senses about her," says Mayfield. "She doesn't mind some of the backbiting and teasing about her. She's capitalizing on it." Pollstar editor-in-chief Gary Bongiovanni added, "She is not on the down-slope." Read more.

July 13, 2002 - Conan O'Brien joked during his Late Night monologue Friday, "It's been reported that Britney Spears is now charging her fans $20 a month for the chance to receive surprise voice mail messages from her. [Laughter] It's true. Yeah, in the first message, Britney says, 'Oops, I screwed you out of $20 again.'"

July 13, 2002 - Entertainment Tonight was on the set of 'Austin Powers Goldmember' which had Britney Spears in a dance competition with Mike Myers. They also reported on her 'Crossroads' DVD, which comes out July 23rd and includes the deleted scene which has Britney and her pals flashing unsuspecting hotel guests, which they showed on the Friday broadcast. But unfortunately, you see her from the back side.

July 12, 2002 - Groovevolt.com reports while the Backstreet Boys are recording their next album, they've issued an ultimatum to Nick Carter telling him to either shelve his solo debut or leave the group. "He's torn up about it," said an insider. "He really believes in this album, and wants their support." As for Nick's reported plan to do a duet with Britney Spears (which he denied in an AOL chat yesterday), the insider added, "While there may be animosity in the air, Nick and Britney are great friends and I think this would have happen with or without Justin." Read more, including news on the folks at Virgin Megastore in New York being no fans of *NSYNC, especially Justin Timberlake, here.

July 12, 2002 - The Nabisco Chips Ahoy! Britney Spears Platinum Sweepstakes site has a quiz that could have you winning a platinum album autographed by Spears. First prize is a signed tour book and a life size Britney standee, while ten winners a week will get Chips Ahoy! CreamWiches. This is the contest that Carson of FLZ in Tampa joked about on-air, which supposedly caused him to get fired. Enter here.

July 12, 2002 - AFP reports Secretary of State Colin Powell is hosting two British students in Washington and part of that assignment was taking the students to a pop star's concert. "They were at a Britney Spears concert last night, they have been to a basketball game and this is their day with the State Department to see what a secretary of state does," Powell said to the House Select Committee on Homeland Security on Thursday. Read more.

July 12, 2002 - Launch.com reports one hour of concert footage from Britney Spears' current tour will be broadcast in more than 2,600 Wal-Mart stores around the country on July 27. The Wal-Mart TV concert broadcast, which will begin at 7 p.m. local time, can only be viewed on Wal-Mart's in-store televisions, or customers may listen to the concert on in-store radio. Read more.

July 11, 2002 - Jay Leno joked during his Tonight Show monologue on Wednesday, "Britney Spears has a new service for her fans. If you're a Britney Spears fan, listen to this. For $19.99 you get three months of her wireless fan club. She'll call you up and tell you the latest thing that's happening in her life. Actually, you hear a recording of Britney's voice. So it's just like being at one of her live concerts."

July 11, 2002 - The Boston Herald reports Britney Spears could have to testify in federal court in Boston in a legal battle involving the charity she dumped as manager of her donations, attorneys said yesterday. "If they're going to hide behind their clients, their client is going to have to be deposed," said David Rosenthal, attorney for the Giving Back Fund. Read more.

July 11, 2002 - E! Online's Ted Casablanca reports Britney Spears was spotted at Roxy in Orlando and showing a lot of flesh in the process. Britney partied the night away with pals in the club's VIP room.

July 11, 2002 - Britney Spears' mother Lynne posted a new update to fans wishing America a happy birthday a few days late, recapping what the family did on the 4th. The idea that Britney might take time off following the tour appears to be in question as Lynne revealed, "On Brit's off time, she also worked on some great new tunes for the next album. Britney loves getting in the studio when she doesn't have to worry about her schedule the next day. There just seems to be more creative juices when you're relaxed." Read more.

July 11, 2002 - A fan reviewed her experience at Britney Spears new restaurant Nyla to WorldofBritney.com. Christina writes that the place was crowded with about 2/3 females and most of them being between 15-25 years old adding, "The restaurant wasn't too big, just big enough... it always seems bigger in pictures. I've been to a lot of 'hip' restaurants around the city and Nyla is now one of them. The difference though is that Nyla's food is actually better than most, and I'm saying this totally unbiased. The food presentation was the best that I've seen in a while especially in the 'seafood salad,' the 'tartar of tuna and salmon,' and the 'crab cakes,' although the dessert presentations were average in comparison to their entrees and other city restaurants desserts." Read more.

July 11, 2002 - That lawsuit filed by the Giving Back Fund we reported on awhile back got underway on Tuesday. The fund is suing Mark Steverson, the former manager of Britney Spears, for $15 million claiming he violated his duty as a member of the Giving Back Fund board of directors by advising Spears and *NSYNC star Justin Timberlake to sever ties with the fund last year. Read more.

July 10, 2002 - The Sun reports Britney Spears has hired celebrity fitness couple Bobby Storm and Nancy Kennedy in an effort to lose weight. The couple put Spears on a strict diet and banned her from eating donuts, her favorite mid-morning snack. Storm and Kennedy have worked with Jennifer Lopez as well, and hope to help Spears lose the weight she's gained since her split from *NSYNC star Justin Timberlake.

July 10, 2002 - Conan O'Brien joked during his Late Night monologue on Tuesday, "At her concert the other night, Cher referred to Britney Spears as a bitch. Yeah, in response during one of her concerts, Britney lip synced the same thing about Cher. It's getting nasty."

July 9, 2002 - Lori Reese of Entertainment Weekly spoke with Samantha Mumba. When asked what she thought about about Louis Walsh, who discovered her, saying that she was a cross between Britney Spears and Janet Jackson replied, "I prefer to be compared to Janet Jackson. I think she's fantastic. Britney Spears is too new for me to be compared to. You know what I mean? I can't look at somebody as a role model if they're the same age as me." Read more.

July 9, 2002 - WENN reports rumors are circulating that Britney Spears will be doing a duet with Backstreet Boys star Nick Carter on his solo album. This is said to have Nick's boy band rival and Britney's ex Justin Timberlake upset. One industry source has said, "Justin sees Carter a rival. This will drive him crazy." Read more.

July 9, 2002 - britfan writes "Selma Blair admits to Seventeen magazine she's obsessed with Britney Spears. "See, I have the CD right here," she said. "I just love The Brit-she has a good Gidget thing going on. I could watch her Pepsi ad on repeat all day long. I actually got busted recently: I was driving these little girls, and they're like, 'You have Britney?' And I was like, 'Oh, I got it for you guys.'""

July 8, 2002 - Porn star Jenna Jameson tells the New York Post that Britney Spears' horrified handlers refused to let Jenna approach her at the opening of Nyla, fearing they'd be photographed together. "I'm a really big fan of Britney's," Jameson says. "I tried to talk to her but they put a velvet rope around her table."

July 8, 2002 - WorldOfBritney.com has a clip of Britney Spears being interviewed on Brazilian TV Network RedeTV! on Superpop where she talks about doing her first movie in 'Crossroads', what she thinks of Brazil, and if it is hard to lead a normal life being so famous. Download the mp3 of the interview here.

July 8, 2002 - breezy writes "Me and my friends were at the Britney Spears concert in East Rutherford on Saturday and sitting three rows behind us was Donald Trump."

July 7, 2002 - Lauren Spuhler of At The Shore profiled Britney Spears ahead of her show Friday (July 5) in Atlantic City by reviewing her show at the First Union Center in Philadelphia on June 28th. Spuhler said, "The show flowed like clockwork, as everything was timed right down to her last sashay." She added, "As screams were heard and music blared, it was obvious fans got what they wanted - a visual spectacle that showed Spears has some real talent." Read more.

July 6, 2002 - Star magazine reports *NSYNC star Justin Timberlake was cheating on Britney Spears throughout their relationship with Tonya Mitchell. Britney had found out about the romance when she was one of the opening acts for the *NSYNC 2001 Pop Odyessy Tour and phoned Justin, only to have Tonya pick up the phone saying he was in the shower. "Britney went berserk," said a pal. "She used every four-letter word she knew and threatened to kick Tonya's butt. Britney swore she would have killed Justin if she could have got her hands around his throat." Read more and check out a photo of Justin and Tonya from April 25, 2002 here.

July 6, 2002 - Following Britney Spears breakup with longtime boyfriend and *NSYNC star Justin Timberlake, WENN reports Spears has removed the "Justini" cocktail from Nyla's menu. This follows her decision to drop the 'Pinky's' name of the restaurant, which was Timberlake's pet name for Britney.

July 6, 2002 - Peter Relic of the Cleveland Free Times spoke with Bratmobile singer and lyricist Allison Wolfe and got her thoughts on Britney Spears. The anti-pop rocker said, "We all got free tickets and decided to fly to Las Vegas [to see the taping of the Britney Spears HBO special]. It was really great." She added, "It was that kind of cheeseball thing that can be fun ... tons of pyrotechnics. Even though I don't sit around and listen to her music, Britney's pretty hot, I think we all agree on that." Read more.

July 6, 2002 - Lauren E. Hill of the Island Ear profiled the rise of Britney Spears wannabe children and what their parents think about the singer's image. 47-year-old Deby Giudice admits, "Sometimes they get carried away. They should be more role models — they’re beautiful singers and they’re adorable — but they should watch what they’re wearing." Read more.

July 4, 2002 - Star magazine has photos of Britney Spears from her concert in Vancouver on May 28th that show the singer displaying a bit of a spare tire hanging out of her skimpy costume. Pals say Spears has been packing on the pounds because she's depressed over her breakup with *NSYNC star Justin Timberlake as well as trouble in her parent's marriage. A pal revealed, "A few weeks ago she went home to her big new house in Louisiana. Before she left L.A., she told me: 'I can't wait to get home, get my sweats on and hit the sofa. When I was around Justin, I was never hungry, because he kept me so happy. Now everthing's changed. All I want to do is sleep and eat." Read more.

July 4, 2002 - Oasis star Noel Gallagher tells OK magazine that he can't understand why his two-year-old daughter Anais names Britney Spears as one her favorite artists. "'...Baby One More Time' is a classic tune, but she (Spears) didn't write it, she just mimed it on telly a few times. I don't get the Britney thing. I certainly don't get the *NSYNC, the Robbie Williams or the Gorillaz thing. There's a lot of things I don't get."

July 4, 2002 - Caroline Almy e-mailed into WorldOfBritney.com following Britney Spears' concert at the Worcester Centrum Coliseum in Worcester Massachusetts on Monday. Almy writes, "She blew me away. She never seizes [sic] to amaze me. I went to see her in December at the Hartford Civic Center, and even though it was the same show again this time around, it was still amazing. When you see her, its an indescribable [sic] feeling. My stomach goes crazy, and my knees were shaking." Read more.

July 4, 2002 - Dianne Williamson of the Worcester Telegram & Gazette was on hand at Britney Spears' show at the Worcester Centrum Centre on Sunday night and left wondering if Britney secretly has horns. "It's not that I don't like Britney. I just think, deep down, she's probably the devil," Williamson said. "Her image as a sweet, innocent virgin trapped in the body of a slut, coupled with the perception that she's a modern, independent woman who does her own thing, has resulted in mass confusion among parents of young girls who aren't quite sure whether Britney is helpful or harmless to their daughters' psyche and self-image." Read more.

July 3, 2002 - New York Post reports three Columbia co-eds who ordered the roasted wild striped bass Monday night at Nyla ended up with food poisoning. A spokesman for Britney's restaurant tells the Post that the dish is "one of our most popular dishes. We served 40 orders and no one else had a problem. But the chef is going to personally call the person who complained and give them gift certificates." 

July 3, 2002 - Boston Herald reports Britney Spears left a big 100% tip when she, her brother Brian, her dancers, and six burly bodyguards dined at Trio after her performance at the FleetCenter. Britney's drink of choice was $8 bottles of the ultra-hip Voss water, not pricey cocktails or Pepsi. Meanwhile, Britney's opening act LMNT saw a 14-year-old from Sandwich who suffers from cystic fibrosis and gave her a private a capella performance. Read more.

July 3, 2002 - FUNKALiSTiC writes "In the July/August issue of Movieline, Destiny's Child star Beyonce Knowles is being interviewed, mostly concerning the new Austin Powers movie in which she stars. The topic of conversation moves to Britney Spears, of which Beyonce had this to say: "It's great that she's in it. She plays herself in a scene with Mike, a dance-off that's supposed to be great. I can only imagine what that is! I really like and respect her. She works very hard. I've met her a couple of times and she's always a really nice girl."" 

July 3, 2002 - Stu Bykofsky of the Philadelphia Daily News reports Britney Spears got into Phlilly so late Friday her sound check was canceled at the First Union Center.

July 3, 2002 - The Sun reports Britney Spears was close to getting a role on Buffy The Vampire Slayer, but the show's star Sarah Michelle Gellar put the kabosh on the plan. "She was floating a lot of ideas," Gellar said. "Our producers were saying she was gonna do it and I was saying, 'I don’t think so'."

July 3, 2002 - Caroline Almy e-mailed into WorldOfBritney.com following Britney Spears' concert at the Worcester Centrum Coliseum in Worcester Massachusetts on Monday. Almy writes, "She blew me away. She never seizes [sic] to amaze me. I went to see her in December at the Hartford Civic Center, and even though it was the same show again this time around, it was still amazing. When you see her, its an indescribable [sic] feeling. My stomach goes crazy, and my knees were shaking." Read more.

July 2, 2002 - Joan Anderman of the Boston Globe gave a harsh review of Britney Spears' show in Boston on Saturday. "Every feature of her career is rooted in and fueled by fantasy," Anderman said. "The seductive songs written by middle-aged men, the doll-like perfection admired by young girls, the singing voice so processed by digital pitch-shifters and synthesizers she sounds more like a lusty droid than a flesh-and-blood person. Spears's show is a sad, scintillating celebration of the dream." Read more.

July 2, 2002 - According to a TV Guide poll, a majority of fans don't want Jennifer Lopez to reunite with former boyfriend Sean 'P. Diddy' Combs or see Britney Spears get back together with *NSYNC star Justin Timberlake. Read more.

July 2, 2002 - Worldpop spoke with Pharrell Williams of the Neptunes who says they plan on working with Britney Spears again on a new album. "We are going to work with Britney again," said Williams, "We don’t know yet if we’re going do a load of tracks or what, but we are definitely going to work with her again." Read more.

July 2, 2002 - Milian weighed in on her thoughts about Christina Aguilera and Britney Spears in a recent chat with The Sun. "Christina Aguilera is an amazing singer, Britney is a great performer and entertainer," she said. "I definitely don't have anything against them as we are all trying to do the same thing at the same time." Read more.

July 2, 2002 - World Entertainment News Network reports former Baywatch star David Hasselhoff ushered his two daughters from the Britney Spears performance at the Mandalay Bay Resort in Las Vegas because he didn't think the sexually charged show was "appropriate" for his girls. Read more.

July 2, 2002 - Gersh Kuntzman weighed in on the opening of Britney Spears' new restaurant Nyla for Newsweek online, and he's not too impressed by Spears' approach to the project, nor the idea that it'll attract much of a crowd based on its location. "Britney told the press that her new restaurant is 'in the heart of the city,' but somebody should’ve actually done more than look at a map of Manhattan and stick a pin in the geographic center," he said. "After 6 pm, that neighborhood feels more like Brooklyn’s Green-Wood Cemetery than a bustling bar crawl. And on weekends, the only people walking around Midtown are tourists who don’t realize that the Museum of Modern Art has moved to Queens." Kuntzman doesn't give Nyla much of a chance, predicting it will close in about a year. Read more.

July 2, 2002 - The New York Post reports Britney restaurant partner Bobby Ochs was served with a $68,000 lawsuit while his staff was serving drinks at the opening of Nyla on Thursday. Meanwhile outside, VIP guests fumed as they were made to wait in the rain by uncooperative bouncers. Don't feel bad though Britney, as a source tells the Post of Jennifer Lopez's new Madre's restaurant in Los Angeles, "The food is horrible and the place is always empty." Read more.

July 2, 2002 - Elias Perez of Sythesis.net was on hand at the Britney Spears concert at Arco Arena on June 10th. While it's a relatively old review, it's a funny look at the show from an adult male's perspective. Perez writes, "I entered and went directly to use the men's room. Something was wrong. Of all the times I've been to an arena event, whether it's been pro wrestling, monster trucks, basketball, concert etc…the men's restroom has always been crowded and disgusting, however this time it was empty and immaculate. I exited the restroom into a sea of young females frantically going in every direction and eventually found sanctuary by a pillar next to a garbage can. I looked out into the spectacle before me and I wondered, 'What would R. Kelly do?'" Read more.

July 2, 2002 - This tidbit in the Boston Globe on Monday: "We're not sure why, but when Britney Spears was spotted working out at the chichi Sports Club/LA at the Ritz-Carlton, Boston Common, over the weekend, she caused a huge stir. Perhaps it's because Spears, in town for a Saturday concert at the FleetCenter, looked unmistakably like the same pop princess she appears as on those oh-so-clever Austin Powers-themed Pepsi commercials."

July 1, 2002 - Magic Cornflake's bootleg and mix site has a terrific set of tracks, including Britney Spears vs The Prodigy - 'Breathe One More Time', a fusion of 'Breathe' and 'Baby One More Time'. Check out the tracks here.

July 1, 2002 - The WB has picked up broadcast rights to the Britney Spears starring 'Crossroads,' with a one run limit within a three-month period covering the fourth quarter of 2004.

July 1, 2002 - Britney Spears may have gotten the name for her new restaurant Nyla from a Mississippi eatery with the name Nyla's Burger Basket owned by Nyla Price. A waitress at the restaurant said Spears orders grilled chicken sandwiches when she's staying at her home about four miles west in Kentwood, Louisiana. Read more.

July 1, 2002 - Scott McLennan of the Worcester Telegram & Gazette spoke with music insiders on whether Britney Spears has seen her career head on the downside. Peter Falconi, operations manager for Citadel Communications in Worcester, said that Spears is a core artist on WXLO-FM (104.5), Citadel's pop and Top 40 outlet in the city with a target audience of women over the age of 25. "She's crossed over from teenybopper act to pop icon," Falconi said. "She's not the next Madonna, but she has broken out of the pack of young blond divas. Look at Christina Aguilera. She did her thing and went away." Gary Bongiovanni, editor-in-chief of Pollstar magazine added, "I think *NSYNC and Backstreet Boys are on the downslide, but not Britney. She has not peaked yet." Read more.

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